BILL NUMBER: ACR 15	CHAPTERED  03/04/99

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER   7
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   MARCH 4, 1999
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY   MARCH 1, 1999
	ADOPTED IN SENATE   FEBRUARY 25, 1999
	AMENDED IN SENATE   FEBRUARY 25, 1999
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   FEBRUARY 19, 1999

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Members Honda, Nakano, and Villaraigosa
   (Coauthors:  Assembly Members Ackerman, Alquist, Aroner, Ashburn,
Bates, Battin, Baugh, Brewer, Briggs, Calderon, Cardenas, Cardoza,
Cedillo, Correa, Cox, Davis, Dickerson, Dutra, Firebaugh, Florez,
Frusetta, Granlund, Havice, Hertzberg, House, Jackson, Kaloogian,
Keeley, Kuehl, Leach, Lowenthal, Machado, Maldonado, Mazzoni, Olberg,
Oller, Robert Pacheco, Rod Pacheco, Papan, Pescetti, Reyes, Romero,
Shelley, Soto, Steinberg, Strickland, Strom-Martin, Thomson,
Torlakson, Vincent, Wayne, Wesson, and Wiggins)
   (Coauthors:  Senators Alarcon, Alpert, Baca, Bowen, Brulte,
Chesbro, Dunn, Escutia, Figueroa, Hayden, Hughes, Johannessen,
Johnson, Johnston, Karnette, Kelley, Knight, Leslie, Lewis,
McPherson, Monteith, Morrow, Mountjoy, Murray, O'Connell, Ortiz,
Polanco, Poochigian, Rainey, Schiff, Sher, Solis, Speier, and Wright)


                        FEBRUARY 16, 1999

   Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 15--Relative to a Day of
Remembrance.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 15, Honda.  Day of Remembrance.
   This measure would declare February 19, 1999, as a Day of
Remembrance in order to increase public awareness of the events
surrounding the internment of Americans of Japanese ancestry during
World War II.




   WHEREAS, On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt
signed Executive Order 9066, pursuant to which 120,000 Americans and
resident aliens of Japanese ancestry were incarcerated in internment
camps during World War II; and
   WHEREAS, Executive Order 9066 deferred the American Dream for
120,000 Americans and resident aliens of Japanese ancestry by
inflicting a great human cost of abandoned homes, businesses,
careers, and professional advancement, and disruption to family life;
and
   WHEREAS, Despite their families being incarcerated behind barbed
wire in the United States, approximately 33,000 veterans of Japanese
ancestry fought bravely for our country during World War II, serving
in the 100th Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the
522nd Field Artillery Battalion; and
   WHEREAS, The 100th Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team,
and the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion heroically suffered nearly
10,000 casualties and are honored as one of World War II's most
decorated combat teams, receiving seven Presidential Distinguished
Unit Citations, one Congressional Medal of Honor, 52 Distinguished
Service Crosses, 588 Silver Stars, 5,200 Bronze Stars, and 9,486
Purple Hearts; and
   WHEREAS, Nearly 6,000 veterans of Japanese ancestry served with
the Military Intelligence Service and have been credited for
shortening the war by two years by translating enemy battle plans,
defense maps, tactical orders, intercepted messages and diaries, and
interrogating enemy prisoners; and
   WHEREAS, Nearly 40 years subsequent to the United States Supreme
Court decisions upholding the convictions of Fred Korematsu, Min
Yasui, and Gordon Hirabayashi for violations of curfew and Executive
Order 9066, it was discovered that the United States War Department
and Department of Justice officials altered and destroyed evidence
regarding the loyalty of Americans and resident aliens of Japanese
ancestry and withheld information from the United States Supreme
Court; and
   WHEREAS, Dale Minami, Peggy Nagae, Rod Kawakami, and many
attorneys and interns contributed innumerable hours to win a reversal
in 1983 of the original convictions of Korematsu, Yasui, and
Hirabayashi by filing a petition for writ of error coram nobis on the
grounds that fundamental errors and injustice occurred; and
   WHEREAS, On August 10, 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed into
law the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, finding that Executive Order
9066 was not justified by military necessity and, hence, was caused
by racial prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political
leadership; and
   WHEREAS, February 19, 1999, marks 57 years since the signing of
Executive Order 9066, a policy of grave injustice against American
citizens and resident aliens of Japanese ancestry; now, therefore, be
it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California
declares February 19, 1999, as a Day of Remembrance in this state to
increase public awareness of the events surrounding the internment of
Americans of Japanese ancestry during World War II; and be it
further
   Resolved, That the Legislature encourages the annual observance of
this day in subsequent years so that California's youth may learn
from our history; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the Governor, the Superintendent of Public
Instruction, the State Library, and the State Archives.
